Obituary: Father Joseph McGlone, senior priest and former Newton pastor

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A native of Walpole where he celebrated his First Mass at his home parish church, Blessed Sacrament, on Jan. 13, 1952, Father Joseph F. McGlone died at Boston Medical Center, Boston on Jan. 11. The day prior had been his 58th anniversary of ordination.

Born Sept. 28, 1927 he was a son of the late William and Mary (Gibbons) McGlone, he attended local public schools in Walpole and on graduation from the town’s high school in 1945 he entered St. John’s Seminary. On completion of his seminary studies he was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Richard Cushing at Holy Cross Cathedral on Jan. 10, 1952.

For the next 20 years he served as an assistant in several archdiocesan parishes: Our Lady of the Assumption, Marshfield (1952); St. Monica, South Boston (1952-1959); St. Polycarp, Somerville (1959); St. Cecilia, Ashland (1959-1960); Our Lady of Lourdes, Jamaica Plain (1960-1965) and Sacred Heart, Lynn (1965-1972).

Archbishop Humberto Medeiros named him administrator of Corpus Christi Parish in Newton’s Auburndale section on Oct. 10, 1972 and just a bit more than a year later on Nov. 6, 1973 the cardinal named him pastor of the Newton parish.

The Newton assignment would be the longest of his parish assignments spanning more than three decades. He retired as the parish’s pastor on. Feb. 10, 2005 following the painful reconfiguration process of Newton parishes; he provided a steady and calming hand and presence.

Folks were not surprised by his demeanor, which had won him the reputation of a kind and gentle man and a priest ready and willing to serve. His esteem among his brother priests of the area was such that he served also the vicar of area assisting parishes and priests in coordinating pastoral efforts and encouraging mutual endeavors.

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley was the principal celebrant of Father McGlone’s funeral Mass on Jan. 16 at Corpus Christi Church. Father Vincent Poirier, a senior priest of the archdiocese who had lived in residence with Father McGlone for many years served as the homilist. Among the concelebrants were Father Gerard Barry, senior priest, Regina Cleri, Boston; Father Frank Silva, current pastor of Corpus Christi-St. Bernard Parish, Newton and a long time Jesuit associate of Father McGlone, Father John Spencer of Loyola House, Boston. Others included Father John Schatzel, senior priest; Father Robert Kickham, secretary of Cardinal O’Malley; Father Arthur Coyle, Regional Vicar-Merrimack; Msgr. John McDonough, senior priest and classmate; Msgr. Leonard Coppenrath, senior priest, and Father Peter Uglietto, rector, Blessed John XXIII Seminary, Weston.

Father McGlone’s immediate survivors are his sisters: Jean Ahearn, Brockton and Ruth Mullen, Norwood. Following his funeral Mass Father McGlone was buried in St. Stephen Cemetery, Framingham.